A caller to the radio mentioned them yesterday. He was a sick-sounding man, with an odd cackle, and he over and over asked, “What about Mitt Romney’s magic underwear?”

He clearly felt he was making some sort of a point.

And he was.

That he was an idiot and a bigot.

But let’s answer his question.

What about Mitt Romney’s magic underwear?

Mitt Romney is a Mormon. That is a Christian religion founded in 1830 in upstate New York. Some Mormons do wear a religious garment under their outer clothes. Presumably, Mitt Romney is one of those Mormons.

What is a religious garment?

Well, it depends on the religion. Several faiths have unique bits of clothing that mostly seem to have the same purpose – to remind believers of who they are and what they have promised to God.

Thus the headwear of the Sikh, and the beads, prayer feathers, medicine pouches and shamanic robes of various Indian tribes.

As well as the yarmulke of some Jewish men and the head coverings of some Jewish women, and the aprons, trailing strings and hats of yet more followers of Judaism.

Or the phylacteries and other garments and devices described in particular detail in the Bible.

In that regard, it’s quite possible that Jesus, following the Old Testament Law of Moses and being an observant Jew, wore religiously prescribed garments.

Roman Catholic religious have worn sacred garments for 1,700 years. Similarly, religious garments – or “habits” – have been worn by Anglicans and religious of the Eastern Orthodox, Coptic and Greek Orthodox churches. Some of these garments are priestly, and just for ceremonial purposes, while others are worn constantly as a declaration of faith.

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, specialized articles of religious clothing, of one type or another, have been worn for at least 4,000 years. Some of these have been visible, as a sign to the world, and some have been worn under other clothes, as a reminder to the wearer.

In Islam, many women wear religiously prescribed head coverings, as they have since the religion’s founding. Some Muslim women also wear a veil.

The notion of a religious head covering and even a veil is a belief also held for centuries by Christians and Jews. The Bible teaches men and women about the propriety of covering or uncovering their heads, particularly during prayer and worship. Some Christian denominations in America today, including some conservative Evangelicals and Mennonites, follow these teachings. Until a couple of generations ago, it was common for women to wear hats or scarves to mainstream American churches, to obey the biblical command to cover their heads.

The “babushkas” of many Eastern European women are worn in obedience to their understanding of their Catholic faith.

The point of all this is that religions around the world have various types of religious garments. If you do the math, most believers on earth belong to a religion that commands its followers or leaders to wear religiously significant clothing.

Mormons are part of that majority.

And Mitt Romney is a Mormon.

And he lives his religion.

So, yes, Mitt Romney wears a religious garment, beneath his outer clothes. He does this for the same reason almost all religious clothing is worn – to remind the believer that he is a believer, and as a token of promises the believer has made to God.

Promises which, like the garment that represents them, are sacred, and should not be made fun of.